What’s the most damaging advice you’ve ever received as a writer? Dr Rachel Knightley reflects on what the wrong and right ‘shoulds’ can do to our ability to make time for our writing and ourselves, and how to take control of our reactions to the messaging we receive. Rachel provides a creative confidence and writing ‘Think On The Page’ Writers’ Gym exercise to create the time and writing that works for you.

If you enjoyed listening to the Writers' Gym Podcast, head to our website at www.writersgym.com and follow us on instagram: @jointhewritersgym

Dr Rachel Knightley’s guest at the Writers’ Gym this episode is award-winning author Nathan Newman.

Nathan is a novelist and filmmaker based in London. Their short stories have won awards, including the James Knudsen Prize for Fiction, and been published in literary journals and anthologies.

Their debut novel, How To Leave The House was released to critical acclaim, and was a New Yorker and New York Times best book of the year.

Learn more about Nathan here: https://www.nathannewmanrules.com/

Instagram: @nathanfnewman

If you enjoyed listening to the Writers' Gym Podcast, head to our website at www.writersgym.com an

Lucy Kate Barnes, Trustee and Co-Founder of Lawyers Who Care

Dr Rachel Knightley’s guest at the Writers’ Gym is her coaching client, award-winning advocate Lucy Kate Barnes.

Lucy grew up on council estates. She went into care at 13 and fell off the "care cliff" at 16. Aged 18, she studies law at Surrey. She is now a barrister. Alongside her legal career, she set up charity Lawyers Who Care and is a vocal advocate for children's rights and social mobility for disadvantaged young people. She won Diversity Champion of the Year 2025 and was one of the Universities UK 100 Faces Campaign to celebrate the first in families to go to university.

Learn more about Lucy here:

Website: Lucykatebarnes.co.uk Substack: Theadvocatewithin.substack.co.uk Instagram: @lucykatebarnes

If you enjoyed listening to the Writers' Gym Podcast, head to our website at www.writersgym.com and follow us on instagram: @jointhewritersgym

Rachel shares how a common phrase helps us cut through what we fear and focus on what we want — instead of getting caught up in unhelpful ‘what-ifs’ that suppress the creative ones. If you enjoyed listening to the Writers' Gym Podcast, head to our websites at www.writersgym.com, www.rachelknightleycoaching.com, and follow us on instagram: @jointhewritersgym @rachelknightleycoaching

Helen Marshall, multi-award-winning author and academic

Dr Rachel Knightley is joined at the Writers' Gym by World Fantasy and British Fantasy Award winning author, Dr Helen Marshall. Helen is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Queensland. She has won the World Fantasy Award, the British Fantasy Award and the Shirley Jackson Award for her three collections of short stories. Her debut novel The Migration argued for the need to remain hopeful, even in the worst circumstances. It was one of The Guardian’s top science fiction books of the year. Her second novel The Lady, the Tiger and the Girl who Loved Death was released in 2025.

Learn more about Helen Marshall here: https://helen-marshall.com/

Instagram: @hairside

If you enjoyed listening to the Writers' Gym Podcast, head to our website at www.writersgym.com and follow us on instagram: @jointhewritersgym